HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — All Reuben Cruz, 41, wanted was some help with food so he could get through each day. Maybe someday, he said, he’d be much better.
“I didn’t have a food stamp for two months,” he said.
Cruz was only the second person to seek assistance at the Government of Guam Relief Center, which opened its doors for the first time Monday morning.
While Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero and others were cutting the ceremonial ribbon, at least six residents, including Cruz, were already seeking help — from enrolling in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to applying for the $500 Prugråman Salåppe’ 3. Prugråman Salåppe’ 3 provides direct cash assistance to households still impacted by the pandemic.
“Everybody’s struggling. Some people have been laid off because of Covid. Now they’re just trying to get back on their feet,” Walter Gene Salas, 58, said, after receiving help applying for the $500 cash relief.
The Guam Relief Center is located on the third floor of the Bank of Hawaii Building in Hagåtña.
It’s open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday, except for GovGuam holidays. The center’s phone number is 671-475-2060.
It’s a place where people can apply, or check on the status of their application, for just about every welfare and relief service — from SNAP to Medicaid and childcare assistance.
Anyone who’s applying for or has concerns about low-income housing or water assistance programs can also get help from the center.
The center also offers assistance for taxpayers who want to know about the status of their tax refunds.
The Guam Relief Center’s goal is to “bridge the gap” between people and the government services they need, according to the interim manager for the center, Kathleen Peredo.
“Sometimes the bureaucracy can take its toll on people. People get discouraged, some people get confused, and the purpose of this center is to make sure that we help people with people so they can get the help that they need,” Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio said, citing earlier remarks from Peredo.
The one-stop relief center can sit up to 15 clients at a time, in different cubicles.
“The main purpose is to make it more convenient for our people who already have gone through such struggles and frustrations, and responding to the needs of our people,” the governor said.
County Kumos, 70, the third person to seek assistance Monday morning, said he’s glad there’s one place to address his and his nephew’s concerns.
“We don’t have to go back and forth,” he said. Besides addressing concerns about his nephew’s income tax return, Kumos also checked on his Prugråman Salåppe’ status while also seeking help whether he could qualify for food aid.
At his age, he said, it would be a big help to also get food aid in addition to his Social Security benefits.
These are the programs available for application or inquiries at the Guam Relief Center:
• SNAP
• Division of Public Welfare programs, Medicaid program, Medically Indigent Program, Child Care Development Fund, Prugråman i Pinilan i Famagu’on Guåhan child care services programs
• Governor’s Community Care and After School Child Care Programs, Relative and In-Home Care Provider Programs
• Covid-19 Bereavement Assistance Fund Program
• Guam Low Income Home Owner Assistance Program, Low Income Household Water Assistance Program
• Prugråman Salåppe’ Ayudon i Taotao 3, and the Office of Homeless Assistance and Poverty Prevention.
• Assistance is also available for rental housing and unclaimed checks relative to the Advance Child Tax Credit, All RISE program, Economic Impact Payments and tax refunds.
The Government of Guam Relief Center officially opened its doors to the public Monday. Staff are shown assisting people Monday morning.
